Review: Sam's Letters to Jennifer

Sam's Letters to Jennifer by James Patterson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars. This book was somewhat enjoyable, but also somewhat ridiculous. I won't give away any spoilers, but I was enjoying it up until a certain point and then I just thought, "What??? Really???" because it was too much. It was just really, really sappy. I liked how short it was and I kind of liked the main character. I liked the idea of letter-writing between a granddaughter and grandmother. There were elements that were likable, but more elements that were just too much sap and drama for my taste.

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Review: A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really good! Review to come. :)

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Review: Whale Talk

Whale Talk by Chris Crutcher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. I actually enjoyed this a lot more than I expected to! I've never read anything by Chris Crutcher, and honestly I didn't really even want to. At my school, all of his books have a "sports" label on them, and since I don't really care for most sports, I assumed I wouldn't like it. I had to read it though for the YSU English Festival, and I was really surprised by how enjoyable it was! I was glad to find that it was much more about the story than just the sport. I liked the main character and the team he put together. I liked how realistic the dialogue between the boys seemed and how there were many real-life, difficult situations. One small criticism - there was perhaps a little too many difficult situations for it to feel entirely realistic, but it led to several important points and conversations between characters. Although it's not a book I ever would have picked for myself, I was pleasantly surprised and I will probably read more by Chris Crutcher.

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Review: Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very short book filled with a lot of wisdom. Her suggestions are excellent and very thoughtful, especially reading it as a mother. I would love to hear any additional suggestions she has for boys or mothers of young boys who want to raise their sons to be feminists as well. I think the suggestions work well for teaching either gender of course, but I'd love to read more of what she has to say. Maybe I should read We Should All Be Feminists!

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Review: The Amulet of Samarkand

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the better middle-grade books I've read in a while! Great characters and plot - and an excellent narrator (I listened to the audiobook). One of the main characters, the djinni Bartimaeus, made the book. My favorite parts of the book were the parts that he narrated because he was so witty and hilarious.

My one complaint: There weren't enough women/female characters in the book. There were two and both were benevolent characters, but neither were really that important except in that what happened to them helped to push Nathaniel to make some of his decisions. I just wish that some of the magicians could have been women or that they had a larger role in the story.

However, despite that, it was an engaging and unique story. I will most likely pick up the second one! :)

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